Trump team wants to roll back Obama-era mileage standards

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has proposed rolling back tougher Obama-era gas mileage requirements that are set to take effect after 2020.

The administration also filed notice Thursday that it wants to revoke the authority of California and other states to set their own, stricter mileage standards — independent of federal ones.

The proposal would freeze an effort by the Obama administration intended to promote auto fuel efficiency and curb tailpipe emissions of climate-changing pollutants.

The Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement that relaxing mileage standards in the years ahead would give “the American people greater access to safer, more affordable vehicles that are cleaner for the environment.”

The EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the administration supports freezing the mileage standards after 2020, but would seek public comment now on that proposal and a range of others, including leaving the tighter, Obama administration fuel standards in place.